By Kelly Bogard

Some of you may remember me talking about the Dinner Tonight! Cooking School I was going to attend. Well, I went and got some great information about healthy and affordable meals for my family. Put on by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, the Dinner Tonight program serves as a way for the county Extension agents to help families live a healthier lifestyle.

Many times we don’t think about the fat, sodium or calories included in our evening meal. With busy schedules to keep up with, it sometimes is hard to resist the urge of the drive-through fast food place down the street. And although many of them now have healthier options, I can tell you from personal experience that isn’t what I end up ordering.

Today I thought I would share a chicken dish from Dinner Tonight that takes just minutes to make and is low in fat and sodium and high in protein.

For Skillet Barbecue Chicken, you will need…Skillet BBQ Chicken
4 boneless chicken breasts, halved
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp. salt-free Southwest chipotle seasoning blend
Salt
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup honey roasted garlic barbecue sauce
1/4 cup water

Skillet Barbecue Chicken is an easy weeknight meal and is good for you, too.  It would be great for an indoor barbecue with baked beans or maybe just with a nice green salad.

First things, first. Wrap the chicken breasts in plastic wrap and pound the meat to 1/2-inch thick with a meat mallet. Then, rub the chicken down with garlic and sprinkle on the seasoning and salt.

Skillet BBQ Chicken

Next, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken on each side for three to four minutes. I found that it took a couple of rounds to get all of the chicken cooked.

Skillet BBQ Chicken

In a separate bowl, combine the barbecue sauce and water. Whisk until well combined.

Once you have all of the chicken cooked, pour in the barbecue sauce and water mixture to coat all of the chicken. Cook for one to two minutes longer until the chicken is completely done and warmed through.

Skillet BBQ Chicken

Here are just a few reasons why I love this recipe: 1) It only takes 30 minutes to make; 2) It is yummy, even to the pickiest eaters; and 3) It’s good for you.

I heard through the grapevine that the Texas AgriLife Extension office in Hill County will be doing a cooking school in November, so make sure to check out their website for more information.

From all of us at Texas Table Top, enjoy!

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Recipe: Skillet Barbecue Chicken

Summary: Barbecued white meat chicken that’s fast and easy

Skillet BBQ Chicken

Ingredients

  • 4 boneless chicken breasts, halved
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp. salt-free Southwest chipotle seasoning blend
  • Salt
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1/2 cup honey roasted garlic barbecue sauce
  • 1/4 cup water

Instructions

  • Place chicken breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap; pound with a meat mallet until the meat is 1/2-inch thick.
  • Rub garlic over the chicken and sprinkle the chicken evenly with seasoning blend and salt.
  • Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken; cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side.
  • In a separate bowl, combine barbecue sauce and water. Mix until well combined.
  • Add barbecue sauce and water mixture to the skillet, and cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes, until the chicken is done.

Cooking time (duration): 30 minutes

Number of servings (yield): 4

Diet tags: Low calorie, Reduced fat, High protein

Calories: 230 per serving

Fat: 7 grams per serving

Protein: 28 grams per serving

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